


Winter Solstice

by PresAlex



Category: Septimus Heap - Angie Sage
Genre: Birthday, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 11:38:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13122963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PresAlex/pseuds/PresAlex
Summary: Jenna and Septimus after the birthday festivities





	Winter Solstice

After the party had finished and the rest of the family had wandered off to their rooms, The two youngest Heaps found themselves standing together outside on the balcony. Overhead, the moon shone brightly, brightening the sky against the snow despite the late hour. Jenna had brought her and her brother out two fur-lined cloaks so that the night air would not disturb them too much.

Sarah and Silas had thrown a party for the two, inviting everyone they knew into the castle to celebrate. The castle had been so full of life that Jenna almost laughed at the contrast to the current situation. Her brother and her had been standing, leaning against the banister for nearly half an hour in companionable silence, neither ready to break it. Both of them were nursing a glass of wine leftover from dinner, more for something to do rather than to get drunk. After a long while Septimus was the first to break the hush with a quiet sigh.

“Y’know, I never thought I would live this long” He said, the quiet in his voice seeming to echo in the empty, snow covered, darkness. Jenna hummed in agreement, waiting for her brother to continue. She hadn’t faced nearly the same amount of near-death experiences as him, nor had she gone through the horrors of the Young Army, but she had had her own collection of dangers throughout her life.

The cold night air puffed up from the two of them in clouds. Septimus’ cheeks had turned rosy from the cold, but neither sibling seemed up to returning back into the warmth of the castle. Jenna’s gaze travelled lazily over the surrounding buildings, eventually resting on the snow-covered pyramid of the Wizard Tower.

“It’s kind of screwed up how much stuff I went through as a kid isn’t it?” Septimus broke through her train of thought again, turning to face his sister. His eyes looked sad and tired, but a soft smile adorned his face. Jenna smiled back gently, nodded, and turned away again to watch the falling snow.

“I cant imagine how you managed it all and still turned out to be a good person, honestly” Jenna replied, grimacing slightly. Her brother laughed softly and took another sip of his wine. “I bet you’re glad for whatever quiet you can find”

“Having grown up with all that mayhem, quiet gets to be too boring for me. I’m glad I have Tod around to keep me on my toes.” He shrugged, eyes softening slightly, “It’s just weird being another year older. Thirteen years ago I was sure I was going to be killed in the Young Army and now look at me; the seventh son of the seventh son, part of a huge loving family, and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. This is more than I could have ever dreamt up for myself”

Once again the pair fell into silence, both busy with their own thoughts. The snow had lightly dusted Septimus and her hair. She could see the little flecks of powder on her eyelashes. Jenna finished the rest of her wine and set the glass down on the ground beside her, the normal clink of glass against stone muffled by the fallen snow. Dragging on hand down her face, she closed her eyes.

“I’m officially older than my mother ever got to be” She said, moving to rest her chin against her hand. Her eyes remained closed. She knew that her mother was technically still around. Cerys was still around the castle and willing to talk to Jenna, but it wasn’t the same. She wasn’t the same as Sarah in more ways than just personality; you couldn’t hug a ghost after all.

Septimus faced her once more, setting his own glass aside. He hummed just as his sister had when he started talking, making sure she knew he was listening even though her eyes were shut.

“I’ve lived a far more dangerous life than she ever did and somehow I’m still alive to show it. I can’t even tell if she’s proud of me, because mum and dad are here and she and mum can’t be in the same room without arguing about the mess.”

“There’s nothing you’ve done all your life that would not make her proud. You’ve saved my life more times than I can count, you saved the Dragon Boat’s life, you have actually saved the lives of most of the people who live here. Probably on more than one occasion. Despite all the danger and all the trouble you’ve faced along the way, you make a damn good _Queen_ Jenna Heap. Cerys is proud of you I’m sure of it. And she isn’t the only one ether.”

Jenna opened her eyes that were now misty with unshed tears only to find Septimus’ eyes just as watery as her own. She’d missed this. It wasn’t very often anymore that her and Septimus found the time out of their busy schedules to get together to talk one on one like this anymore now that she was the _Queen_ and he was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. They hadn’t had time to just _talk_ without some sort of emergency or interruption.

Jenna drew Septimus into a hug, still finding that despite his growth spurts, she was still taller than him.

“Thank you, Sep” She muttered, letting a few tears fall and knowing that Septimus was doing the same.

“No. Thank _you_ , Jen”

“Shut up”

“You first” Septimus sniffled slightly, and drew back to wipe his eyes on the corner of his cloak.

“We’re both idiots aren’t we” Jenna breathed out a laugh, rubbing at her own eyes.

“Definitely. It’s freezing out here”

“Happy birthday, Sep. I’m glad you stuck around”

“Happy Birthday, Jen. I’m proud to have you as my sister”

**Author's Note:**

> find me online @crykea!  
> this popped into my head and i know its past their birthday but i thought id write and post it anyways :) hope you enjoyed :)  
> kind of very slightly inspired by annies post abt jenna


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